MIAC leads Division III in football attendance for eighth time in nine years

Apr 09, 2014

ST.
PAUL, Minn. -- For the third-straight season - and the eighth time
in the last nine years - the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) attracted more fans to its football games than
any other conference in NCAA Division III. The MIAC led the
division in both total and average attendance to three-peat as the
Division III attendance leader.

In2013, a
total of 160,482 fans attended the 48 football games hosted by the
MIAC's nine football team, an average of 3,343 fans per game. All
nine of the MIAC's football institutions drew at least 6,400 total
fans and more than 1,200 fans per game in2013. MIAC schools also
fared well in the national attendance standings, as Saint John's
led the nation in attendance per game (7,364) for the 12th time in
the last 13 years, and Bethel (38,054) and the Johnnies (36,822)
finished third and fourth, respectively, in total attendance.

Both
the MIAC and Saint John's were recognized for their nation-leading
figures and streaks in anNCAA.com press
releaseannouncing the 2013 attendance
figures.

"Thank
you to all the MIAC football fans for your continued support of our
teams and student-athletes," said MIAC Executive Director Dan
McKane. "Our schools, coaches and student-athletes work extremely
hard to put an outstanding product on the field, and we're glad
that so many fans keep coming back year after year to enjoy MIAC
football. We're very fortunate to have our passionate and dedicate
community of fans, and we appreciate their continued
support."

In
the national Division III conference standings, the MIAC drew more
than 30,000 fans than any other league, with the Ohio Athletic
Conference coming in second with a total of 130,382. The MIAC
outdistanced the American Southwest Conference (3,210) by an
average of 133 fans per game to also lead the nation in that
category. The MIAC's per-game attendance was better than nine
Division II conferences and one Division I FCS conference, and its
total attendance was higher than six Division II leagues and one
Division I FCS conference.

The
Johnnies and Royals finished 1-2 in the conference in football
attendance, with SJU's average of 7,364 fans per game and Bethel's
38,054 total fans both leading the league. Concordia finished third
in the league in both categories, with 22,135 fans and an average
4,427 per game. St. Thomas finished fourth with 19,825 total fans
and 3,965 per game. Gustavus rounded out the top five in both
categories with 12,303 total fans and 2,461 per game.

The
conference's two Northfield schools drew almost identical fan
support in 2013, as St. Olaf finished with 9,215 total fans and an
average of 1,843 per game, while Carleton had a total attendance of
9,111 and an average of 1,822. Hamline had 6,574 total fans in 2013
and an average of 1,315 per game, and Augsburg drew 6,443 total
fans for a per-game average of 1,289.

For
the first time, total attendance at NCAA football topped 50 million
in 2013. The 657 schools who sponsor football in the NCAA drew
50,291,275 fans at home games, neutral-site games and postseason
games. That total breaks the previous NCAA attendance record of
49,699,419, set in 2011. Division III contributed to that total
with a Division-record total of 2,465,231 fans. Division I FBS also
set a record with 38,135,118 fans. Division I FCS contributed
6,238,740 fans and Division II had 2,985,610 spectators.

The
MIAC will welcome Division III's top-rated crowds back for another
outstanding season on the football field in September. The MIAC
season officially kicks off with nonconference action on Saturday,
Sept. 6. Conference play begins on Saturday, Sept. 20, and runs
through Saturday, Nov. 15, with 11 total weeks and nine conference
weeks on the schedule. The full 2014 MIAC football schedule isnow available
online.